Track of the Day – “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” by Daft Punk
Recently, I was told about an NIU student saying Daft Punk’s excellent 2001 single was “totally ripping off Kanye West.”

Nevermind the fact that Daft Punk’s song came out six years before. Any big fans of the French powerhouse dance group will tell you that hearing “Stronger” by Kanye West only makes them want to hear its source material more.

It’s easy to hear why. The hiccupping beat encourages the most acrobatic break dancing or perhaps an excellent version of “The Robot.” Off the dance floor, the song still delivers, thanks to its deft, layered production.

But the song’s best moment is when the electronically processed vocals speed up into a Guitar Hero worthy solo that’s as catchy as it is mind-blowing.

It’s no wonder Kanye decided to sample this. It’s one of the few songs that lives up to its hype-building title. Of course, Kanye didn’t really improve on his source material. On its own, it’s just too, well, harder, better, faster, stronger.

“Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” can be found on Daft Punk’s 2001 album “Discovery” on Virgin Records.

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